Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Aram award presented to Kuthambakkam activist

Special Correspondent

For transforming crime-infested place to self-reliant village

CHENNAI: In yet another recognition of the success of village self-governance, the Shriram Ilakkiya Kazhagam's Aram Award was presented to R. Elango, managing trustee, Trust for Village Self Governance, Kuthambakkam, Thiruvallur district, at a function on Wednesday.

The award has been instituted by the Shriram Group for honouring social contributors, who follow the teachings of the `Thirukkural.' It carries a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh.

Giving away the award, Governor Surjit Singh Barnala said it was in recognition of Mr. Elango's sincere efforts at transforming Kuthambakkam "from a crime-infested, tension-ridden place, where persons addicted to alcohol lived, to a thriving, peaceful, self-reliant village."

Mr. Elango said it was imperative that the rural economy be made self-reliant. "If village panchayats are sufficiently empowered, a definitive change is possible. Kuthambakkam is an example of the success of the gram swarajya concept advocated by Mahathma Gandhi."

Mr. Elango was twice elected Kuthambakkam panchayat president. The trust run by him was striving to promote a network growth economy model, under which villages would produce their own commodities and services and share the profit got by selling the surplus to neighbouring villages.

To begin with, 40 rural enterprises in 20 villages were identified to provide employment opportunities to the locals. The target was to replicate the model in 200 villages by 2011, he said.

More funds

The Shriram Group gave an additional Rs. 3 lakh to the trust, of which Rs. 1 lakh was financial grant and the rest interest-free loan.

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